As light returns to his eyes, its contrast to his dirty face is vivid. David carries that grime with him through much of the movie, contrasted against fields of sunflowers, a stunning ocean view and an opulent mansion. Scenes from the concentration camp are gray, dusty and dingy. The shadows and light in Tibber's eyes tell a story of their own. There's very little dialogue in the movie.įew words are needed. We also witness his journey toward trust, love, joy and peace. The beauty of David's story is that he is not only seeking freedom from the camp, but also freedom from fear, from loneliness, from the belief that all men are evil. Their circumstances are different, but they can still learn from the courage of an running from a Communist concentration camp, traveling alone toward Denmark, where he has been told he can find freedom.īut the man who arranged David's escape warned him that, though there is a world outside the camp, it is a dangerous place, and his words ever stay in David's mind: 'Trust no one.' But, unfortunately, children continue to be isolated and afraid. It's amazing that a story first published in 1963 in Copenhagen can translate so brilliantly to the screen decades later. 'I am David' is a screen adaptation of the children's novel 'North to Freedom,' by Anne Holm.

There are times in 'I am David' when you wonder what horrible tragedies the child actor (Ben Tibber) has lived through to have such a haunted expression.īut apparently, he's just an amazing actor.

I am david novel